Oil Cleansing vs. Soap?

Foam/soap products are the common go-to for cleaning off the days “gunk”, but what if someone told you that they were doing more harm than good? 

 

Even “clean” soap products often compromise the integrity of our lipid layer (skin).

 

Healthy skin has an optimal pH (a measure of hydrogen concentration) range of 4-7-5.7 which helps keep positive bacteria happy and thriving ( all-important for protection!) Most soaps can increase skin pH, causing irritating and dehydrating effects, which also disrupts the microbial biome of your skin.

 

The idea of cleaning our faces has focused solely on removing bad bacteria and dirt, but we have forgotten about how to clean our skin in a way that promotes regeneration as well. 

 

In chemistry one of the basic rules is “like attracts like”. Our sebaceous glands produce an oily, waxy substance called sebum (comprised is composed of 41% triglycerides, 26% wax esters, 12% Squalene, and 16% free fatty acids—all oil derivatives). The act of applying oils to our face helps pick up and clean off the oil our own skin produces (which picks up lots of nastiness throughout the day). 

 

Oil cleansing is the act of taking a high-quality oil, rubbing it into your skin, and wiping it away with a warm wet towel. You would be surprised how much junk slides right off.